When To Buy New Lawn And Gardening Tools To Help You Save Money

Whether you're a beginner looking for the gardening tools you absolutely need or a seasoned lawn caretaker whose shovel's duct-taped handle finally broke for the fourth time, everyone needs to buy new tools eventually. However, in a world where everything, not just lawn and garden equipment, is getting more expensive, it can be difficult to justify taking a trip to the store. Wrapping the handle of your shovel in duct tape for the fifth time can be tempting, but if you're tight on cash, you may just need to time your trip to the store a little better. The best time to buy lawn and garden tools for the cheapest price is in the late fall.

There are two things to know about buying tools in the late fall. Since fall is the end of the gardening season in most of the U.S., many stores will be trying to get rid of that year's lawn and garden tools and supplies, and, as such, they will be deeply discounted. If you are looking for any electrical tools or batteries, the best time in the fall is Black Friday, as that holiday has a heavy focus on technology. This could be a great time to buy an electric riding lawn mower on sale, for example.

The spring, just after the beginning of the growing season, is also a good time to buy lawn and garden tools. Though discounts aren't as generous as in the fall, many companies will run sales as they debut new models. Home Depot's Spring Black Friday occurs at the end of March or the beginning of April, and is usually accompanied by sales from other major lawn and garden suppliers. Spring also sees Memorial Day, Father's Day, and other popular sales days. This is also a convenient time to purchase as you get to put those new tools to work right away.

While those fall and spring sales may look tempting compared to mid-summer pricing, lawn and garden tools can still be quite expensive. So, before you make your list, you need to figure out which of your tools really need to be replaced instead of just repaired. For this decision, there are many considerations, including the cost and difficulty level of the repair, the functionality of the tool after repair, and the time of year. If the cost of the repair is more than the cost of the replacement, just get the replacement. Similarly, if the repair is too difficult and requires pricey tools you don't have, a replacement is often more time- and cost-efficient. For example, it may be time to replace your lawn mower if the deck is falling apart or the engine is dead. On the other hand, if a tool starts to break toward the end of the season and you can stretch it to the end of season sales, you may be able to make do with a quick repair instead of an immediate new tool. 

Some tools are beyond any reasonable repair. If you're putting duct tape on a shovel for the fifth time, it's probably time for a new shovel. Even though it may be cheaper to wrap some more duct tape over the break, your shovel won't be as strong and will be more susceptible to breaking again. But if your trimmers just need to be tightened and sharpened, replacement is overkill. Each tool is different, so properly evaluating what you need is crucial to saving you money.